Automatic-clench car-coupling.



W. T. & A. l. LILLY.

AUTOMATIC CLENCH CAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED JUNEZB. 1915.

Patented Nov. 2, 1915.

3 SHEETSSHEET I.

COLUMBIA PLANOCIRAPH CO.,WASHLNGTON, D. c.

W. T. & A. J. LILLY.

AUTOMATIC CLE CAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION H UNE 26. 1915.

W. T. & A J. LILLY. AUTOMATIC CLENCH CAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 26.1915- I 1,158,515, Patented Nov. 2, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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WILLIAM T. LILLY AND ANDREI/V J. LILLY, 0F GLEN MORGAN, WEST VIRGINIA,ASSIGNORS OF ONE-HALF TO GROVER C. HEDRICK, 0F BECKLEY, WEST VIRGINIA.

AUTOMATIG-CLENCH CAR-COUPLING.

Application filed-June 26, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, VILLIA'M T. LILLY and ANDREW J. LiLLY, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Glen Morgan, in the county of Raleigh andState of West Virginia, have invented. certain new and usefulImprovements in Automatic-Clench Car- Couplings, of which the followingis a speci lication, reference being had therein to the accompanyingdrawing.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in car couplers,especially adapted for use upon mining cars, etc., and comprises asimple and eflicient apparatus of this nature having various details ofconstruction, combinations and arrangements of parts which will behereinafter fully described, shown in the accompanying drawingg and thenspecifically defined in the appended claims.

Our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view showing the couplers at the ends of two carscoupled together. Fig. 2 is a central sectional view transverselythrough the coupler heads, showing the parts about to be coupled. Fig. 3is a sectional view through the couplers connected together. Fig. 4 is asimilar view showing the pin in readiness to be coupled as the couplerscome together. Fig. 5 is a de tail view of an edge of the coupling pin.Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view, and Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail view ofone of the coupler heads.

Reference now being had to the details of the drawings by numeral, '1designates a chambered projection upon a car 1*, within which arepivotally mounted upon the pins 11 the coupler members 10, shaped asshown clearly in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and which are provided withangled recesses 12 at their inner ends, said coupler members beingmounted in the recesses 14. The wall of said projection is provided witha triangular outlined opening 13 and is chambered as at 15, as shownclearly in Fig. 4 of the drawings, for the reception of the pin 18 whichhas its upper forward edge conveXed as at 18 and is connected at 26 tothe chain 25, which latter is attached to and winds about a crank arm ofthe rock shaft 21, journaled in the bearings 22 upon the end of the car.Said pin has, at its lower end, a contracted Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Nov. 2, 1915.

Serial No. 36,561.

angled projection 19, beveled as at 20 and is adapted to rest insaidposition to allow the cars to automatically couple when they cometogether uponthe ledge 17 and, when in a locked position as shown inFig. 3, said projection 19 extends through the angled opening 13 andrests upon the ledge 30. lhe chamber in which the pin 18 is mounted hasa space 15 in the upper portion thereof adapted to receive the convenededge of the pin when elevated to the position shown in The coupling head8 has a shank portion 2 which has an elongated slot 4: therein throughwhich the pin 5 carried by the projection 6 upon the car 6 passes. Acoiled spring is interposed between the pin 5 and the opposite end ofthe slot and coiled springs 7 are fastened at their inner ends to thepins 8 upon the shank portion 2 and their other ends to the pins 9,as-shown clearly in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Said head 8, as shown inFig. 7, is provided with an emergency link receiving slot 27 and avertical pin opening 28.

The operation of our invention will be readily understood and is asfollows When it is desired to couple two cars equipped with our improvedcoupling apparatus, the gravity pin is supported in the position shownin Fig. 4. When the head 3 comes in contact with the forwardlyprojecting portions of the coupler members 10, as shown in Fig. 2, saidcoupling members will be tilted upon the pivots 11 and the pin will bepushedback oil the ledge 17 and, when the edges of the angled recesses12 come flush with the opposite angled edges of the opening 13, the pinwill fall through the latter and the shouldered portion of the pin willrest upon the ledge 30, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, and whichwill lock the jaws or members 10 in engagement with the laterallyprojecting portions of the head 3, as shown in Fig. 1. The coiled springinterposed between the pin 5 and the end of the slot 4: will yield totake up shock inshown in Fig; 4:, thus allowing the coupler members 10to tilt upon theirpivots and allow the head 3 to be released therefrom.

It will be noted from the foregoing that a positive lock is providedwhich is automatic in its action and so constructed that the pin will beheld by gravity in a locked position without any danger of itsbecomingdisplacedv by accident incident to jars, it being necessary to rock theshaft to which the pin is connected before it may be thrown to suchposition to allow the couplers to be uncoupled. What we claim to be newis 1.-A coupler for mining cars, etc., comprising a head which ischambered provided with an angular outlined opening in the bottomthereof, coupler members pivoted within a recess in the chamberedportion and having angular outlined recesses in their inner edges, ayielding coupler head adapted for attachment to the end of an adjacentcar, a gravity coupling pin having an angled extension at its lower end,means connected at one side of the center of gravity of the pin to causethe same to tilt as it is raised, said pin causing the couplers toseparate as the pin is raised.

2. A coupler for mining cars, etc, comprising a head which is chamberedprovided with an angular outlined opening in the bottom thereof, couplermembers pivoted with in a recess in the chambered portion and havingangular outlined recesses in their inner edges, a yielding coupler headadapted for attachment to the end of an adjacent car, a gravity couplingpin having an angled extension at its lower end, means connected at oneside of the center of gravity of the pin to cause the same to tilt as itis raised, said pin causing the couplersto sep arate as the pln 1sraised, the forward edge of the contracted portion of the pin beingbeveled and adapted to contact with the in ner ends of the couplingmembers as the pin is raised.

3-. A coupler for mining cars, etc., comprising a head which ischambered and provided with an angular outlined opening in the bottomthereof, coupler members pivoted within a recess in the chamberedportion and having angular outlined recesses in their inner edges, ayielding coupler head adapted for attachment to the end of an adjacentcar,'a pin having its lower por tion contracted and angular in crosssection and beveled, pin raising means connected to the latter at oneside of its center of gravity, the beveled portion of the pin adapted tocontact with the coupling member to separate the same, a yieldingcoupling member having yielding connections with the end of an adjacentcar and adapted to contact with the projections of the coupling membersof the cars to be coupled as they come together.

4-. A coupler for mining cars, etc., comprising a head which ischambered and provided with an angular outlined opening in the bottomthereof, coupler members pivoted within a recess in the chamberedportion and having angular outlined recesses in their inner edges, ayielding coupler head adapted for attachment to the end of an adjacentcar, a coupling pin having its lower end angular in cross section toconform to said triangular outlined opening, said pin having a shoulderat the inner end of the angular portion and its opposite edge beveled, arock shaft upon the car and a chain fastened thereto and to said pin atone side of its center of gravity, the beveled portion of the pinadapted to be elevated and rest upon the floor of the recess in whichthe coupler members are mounted, and a yielding and pivotally mountedcoupler head adapted to be mounted upon the end of an adjacent car.

In testimony whereof we hereunto afiix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

WILLIAM T. LILLY. ANDREW J. LILLY.

Witnesses:

A. L. HoUeH, H. J. J ONES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. C.

